17 March 2010

Generation X

Hello,I know, long time no talk. I've been super busy. I only have 2 more (well, 1.5) more months til I graduate! Eek!! I'm really excited and nervous.Okay, my main reason for blogging today is something that has been bothering me for a while--the youth. While I am not that old (matter of fact, i'm actually very much younger than my counterparts), but I wish we'd change for the better.

The moment Day Light Savings changed time, my perspective on life changed. As graduation gets closer, I worry about my future. I am going to have two degrees before the age of 21, yet I am scared as hell of the “real world.” I have been out of my parents’ house since the age of 16, but now, it feels like I am truly alone. I will be looking for a one-bedroom apartment and a full-time job starting this Summer. As all of these things cross my mind, I begin to think of my generation as a whole.It has been said that my generation is going to be the generation that makes less money than the previous. This makes me nervous. We have the most advanced technology so far, so how is this possible? While I do not think that we are less intelligent or determined, I do believe that we have a misguided sense of direction.Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists in the past have made huge contributions in the world without the usage of cell phones and the internet. My generation has come up with the cleverest excuses and ways to get out of parking tickets, class work, and paying full price for anything. Therefore, we have plenty of potential, yet we use it for unnecessary things. For example, we have people such as Soulja Boy and Nicki Minaj who have found a way to make millions of dollars with nursery rhyme type music, but will not use their voices to point out injustice in the world. Their voices reach millions, if not billions, of sets of ears, but they have yet to announce fighting against drug abuse and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.While others fought discrimination and other inequalities, we use our cell phones and video cameras and other resources to do God-knows-what like sex tapes, advertisement of $500 tennis shoes, etc. For us to come up with catchy songs, the latest dances, and other new inventions, I think that we can come up with many ways to help the world and make a huge difference.I am not saying that everyone in our generation is like this, but I wish there were more people who were willing to speak out against it. For me, I would like to use my “powers” for good. On May 8th, 2010 I will be getting my English degree, and working on getting my teaching credentials in the summer. For me, being an English teacher is my dream because teachers have a major influence on a student’s life. They are the people who see their students almost more than their parents. Therefore, there has to be some sort of bond between them. As a teacher, I would like to be more than an educator, and more like a friend. I would like to inspire my students to write out their feelings if they find it hard to speak out. This is one example that the youth in my generation could be influential.On May 8th, 2010, while I am walking across the stage and crossing further into independence, I am also hoping that the rest of my graduating class will prove everyone wrong that we are selfish, egotistical, shallow, and naïve. I know that I am not perfect, nor do I expect perfection, I just feel like we can start small and eventually change the world for the better.